Method of producing cellose.



ierrrn run o osra nits'rnoiu, or sKUTsKZln, SWEDEN.

METHOD OF PRODUCING CELLOSE.

N 0 Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1911. Serial No. 642,4M.

Improvements in the Method of Producing Cellose, of which the following is a specification.

if a concentrated acid. for instance sulfuric acid containing 70-80 per cent. of H 80 is allowed to react upon cellulose, or a material containing cellulose, a product called acid cellulose is first formed and then, after the reaction has continued for a suiticiently long time, another product called cellose is formed. This product, viz., the cellose. can be transformed into termentablc sugar by being boiled with a diluted acid under atmospheric pressure. The ccllose can, thus, be used as a starting material for the production of sugar or alcohol. During the above mentioned formation of the cel lose, however, some organic acids, such as acetic acid and formic acid, are formed which must be separated from the cellose before the latter is further treated for the production of sugar or alcohol.

The present invention refers to a method according to which the concentrated acid is allowed to reactupon the cellulose or the material containing cellulose under a reduced pressure and at a. suitable temperature, whereby the advantage is obtained, thatthe organic acid or acids formed by the said reaction distil otl and may be gathered together or separately, if the vacuun'r and temperature is dependent on the percentage of moisture in the material and on the strength of the acid.

The following is an example of carrying the method into practice: A suitablequan- Patented res. it, iota;

the temperature be suitably adapted. The.

tity of saw dust containing 40% of moisture is exposed to the action of sulfuric acid of 75 per cent. at a temperature of C. under a suitable vacuum and for a time of one hour, the organic acids formed thereby be ing gathered separately. As to the vacuum the same must of course at all events be adapted in such a manner thatv the highest output of cellose is obtained. i

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The method of producing cellose consisting in allowing a concentrated acid to react I upon cellulosic material fo- :1. time sutll ciently long for the formation of cellose and at a temperature adapted to the nature of the reacting substances, to wit: cellulosic -material and acid, maintaining during. the

treatment a 'acuum sutlicient for allowing the organic acid or acids formed during the same to distil oii, substantially as described. In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub-v scribing witnesses.

run GOSTA nKsTnoM.

. VIUIQSSES Axm. En'nnnn, Guam Prunes. 

